The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-05
Culture OF Alfalfa.

A subscriber NJ mineral I0lnL Wh.,
desires to know what kind of grass y
best to raise in connection with alfalfa
He wants grass that will not injurs
the alfalfa by growing in connection
with it, which VIII be fit to cut and
cure ut the same time, which will stand
a long and severe drought, and which
will make good pasture sod.
1t is not likely that such grass can
be found. Alfalfa, or lucerne, to be
profitable, should occupy all the soil
on which it is grown. The presence
of weeds or any kind of grass or ordi-
nary clover will interfere with the
growth of alfalfa as much az they
would with that of corn or any root
crop. The plant is only highly pro-
ductive when it is raised on well-pre-
pared land, that is somewhat light in
its character, and which is kept free
from all other kinds of vegetation.
1t does best when sown in drills,
though fair crops are raised when the
Secu Is SONu DlOh'lCASb vi SO'' hhSiJ
and deeply pulverized and free from
weeds, grasses, or their seed The
plants raised in drills should be cult
waited during the first season of their
growth.
1t is not likely that alfalfa will even
prove u profitable forage crop in any
portion of Wisconsin, though it may
be found profitable when some of the
sandy land becomes valuable owing to
large increase OF population. There
are hardly any conditions in Wiscon-
sin that are favorable to the growth on
this plant The growing season is
short and the winters are severe. The
roots of the plant might not be killed
by the frost, rs they would be protected
by snow, but the foliage would be kill
ed by the first slight frost in the fall,
and leaves would not appear TIL quite
late the following spring. Alfalfa IL a
very valuable plant in countries where
the growing season is long In por-
tons of southern Europe, northern At
RIGA, and South America the stalks do
not die down at any season OF the year,
and may be cut and used for feeding
stock every few weeks. Some highly
MANFRED land that is irrigated will
cause alfalfa to grow so fast that two
crops can be cut in single month.
1t is not likely, however that more
than two crops could be secured in
Wisconsin, and these can be obtained
from common red clover and orchard
grass.
1t is not likely that alfalfa will ever
come in competition with the ordinary
grasses and clovers in parts OF the
world where the latter do well. 1t was
introduced into New York about CEN
fury ago, and every few years since
that time someone has SOWn "a small
patch and given an account OF his sue
cess. Still it is not likely that there
were over hundred acres of alfalfa
growing in the Empire state during any
year since it was introduced. In fact,
the amount of land seeded to alfalfa in
any part of the country this side OF the
Missouri river is very small. 1t prob
ABLY would do well in all the states bor-
dering on the Gulf of Mexico, but though
attention has been called to its merits,
and success has been reported by those
who have experimental with it. still 1t
is little more than botanical novelty
in all the cotton and cane producing
states. If "high farming" which in
cludes the cultivation of forage crops
and the soiing of farming animals, Is
ever practiced in the southern states as
it is in some European countries, it is
likely that alfalfa will receive much at
tention. At present however, very
few southern farmers raise il, though
the soil and climate are favorable
TO il and favorable TO most of the
forage crops raised in the north.
Alfalfa is like the sunllower and Je.
rusalem artichoke in one respect A
great many people write about 1t and
recommend il for general cultivation,
but hardly anyone ever raises 1t. 1t Is
singularly adapted to portions OF the
country having long seasons. warm
climate. deep and ligh' soils, and q
small or uncertain rainfall. in these
places red clover and moss of the grasses
common TO places having a moist and
cool climate do not succeed, alfalfa or
some similar plant is essential to sue
cess in stock-raising. That alfalfa vii
produce more stock fool than any for.
age plant that is generally cultivated
seems certain. II costs considerable.
however. to prepare the ground for the
crop, TO obtain seed. TO raise the plants
till they are of = size 10 cut for fodder.
and TO conduct the operation Of having
several times in the course of the seas
on. For these reasons farmers will
be likely to paw little attention to alfalfe
II thcy live where they can raise the
ordinary grasses and clover. Alfalfa
bay dols not rank very high. and The